The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced today that a LinkMichigan telecommunications grant totaling nearly $120,000 has been offered to Grand Traverse County on behalf of Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties.

The funding will be used to launch regional telecommunications planning projects to develop local strategies for improving telecommunications services as part of the LinkMichigan Initiative.

“Access to high-speed telecommunications is an important component of ensuring the healthy economic future of Michigan’s communities,” said Doug Rothwell, president & CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.“These planning grants are designed to help counties develop their own last mile solutions encouraging communities to link or leverage their local strategies to the statewide backbone initiative. “

The MEDC co-hosted five LinkMichigan regional telecommunications planning forums this past January with the goal of educating communities on the availability and eligible use of planning assistance grants to be provided by the MEDC.The forums attracted nearly 500 attendees from 76 Michigan counties.

As a result of these forums, a total of 64 counties have benefited from the funding offered through telecommunications planning grants, including Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Grand Traverse.

The planning activities will include conducting an inventory of the current telecommunications infrastructure, publication of telecommunications plan for the region, identification of problems and issues related to telecommunications infrastructure and identification of barriers to new telecommunications efforts and investments.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a partnership between the state and local communities, promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life.